


A Purrfect Match

by NepetaQuest



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Catfish - Freeform, F/M, erinep - Freeform, eripeta, fish and ships, neperi - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-18
Updated: 2013-06-18
Packaged: 2017-12-15 08:33:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/847472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NepetaQuest/pseuds/NepetaQuest
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Eridan Ampora goes to his friend Nepeta Leijon for romantic advice, he is surprised to find that the answer to his quadrant troubles might be closer than he thinks. (Fluff.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Purrfect Match

Nepeta Leijon was curled up on a pile of furs in the respiteblock she and Equius, taking a little catnap, when there was a rather loud whisper in her ear.

“Nep?”

She let out a sleepy little growl and rolled over, not wanting to wake up, especially not to that weird accent. She felt a jostle, a warm hand on her arm. “Nep. Nep…?”

With a little hiss, she opened her eyes to see Eridan Ampora hovering over her, looking a little disheveled, his glasses crooked and usually perfectly-styled hair mussed, his gray-purple eyes wide. It seemed as if he hadn’t slept in days.

Nepeta rubbed her eyes with a sigh. “Yes Ampurra?”

Without an apology for waking her, he simply asked, “You still do your shippin’ stuff right…?”

“Yes, of course,” she yawned, sitting up on her elbows. “Do you need something with it?”

He sat back on his heels, his thick brows furrowed. “Wwell…I was wwonderin’…wwho you think I’d be good with. You knoww.”

She studied his wild-eyed face carefully. “This is something that’s clearly been eating you up inside, huh?” Eridan looked down, hands clasped, and nodded lightly. “Well…to be pawnest I don’t know you furry well! Coming up with a good ship fur you is hard since I don’t really know what you’re like and…” She paused, biting her lip, knowing what she was about to say would sting, so she lowered her voice to dull the blow. “…purrty much efurryone seems to not like you much, which…doesn’t help,” she admitted with a grimace.

“…Oh.”

Nepeta put a hand over her head. “I’m sorry, that sounded really mean!”

Eridan just shook his head. “No…it’s true.” He took a breath and looked up. “Do you dislike me, Nep?” He looked quite worried, his features ridden with concern. But she only shook her head. “Equius wouldn’t be happy to hear my say it, but when you’re not being grouchy, I think you seem purrty mice!”

“I…thank you Nep. I appreciate that.”

She smiled a little. “No purroblem!” Then her face fell a bit and she looked down. “I’m sorry I’m so mewsless fur finding you a good purrtner…I feel like I was given one job and I can’t do it,” she sighed. He just shrugged and said, “Yeah, wwell, it’s not your fault. I’m startin’ to think I’m not meant to havve anyone…”

Nepeta reached over and papped his shoulder. “It’s okay Ampurra, don’t worry…I think efurryone has a purrfect match out there somewhere! But…” She paused, removing her hand from his shoulder. “…if it makes you feel better, I feel like that too sometimes.” She looked down, fiddling with the olive sleeves of her oversized jacket.

He tried to smile a little, adjusting his glasses and running a hand through his hair. “I always thought Fef was mine…but then she fell in lovve wwith someone else, and…I wwent and killed her, so…I guess that’s out of the question.” He sat down heavily on the fur pile, resting his head in his hands.

She reached over and played with the tail of his scarf, rubbing the soft fabric between her fingers. “I know you don’t really like landdwellers and all but…purrhaps you need to open your options a little?” she suggested.

Eridan looked up at her with a weak laugh. “Honestly Nep…I don’t dislike landdwwellers…it was just…posturing.” “Pawsturing?” She cocked her head at him, perplexed. He nodded, taking off his glasses and polishing them on his shirt. “Yeah. Like…I had a legacy to uphold from Dualscar. But I rejected that recently. So…I guess I dunno wwhat I am noww.” He paused and put his glasses back on, looking back up at her. “I’m sorry for layin’ all this on you…”

Nepeta met his gaze with a smile. “It’s alright, really! It’s kinda mice to talk to someone who’s not telling me to act my age not my blood color…” She rolled her eyes playfully, and the corner of his lips twitched. With averted eyes, Eridan looked around the room at the scattered robot parts and cat-themed teapots.

“Can…can I have a hug?”

She smiled and wordlessly opened her arms to him, and a relieved grin spread across his face. He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close, resting his head on his shoulder, fins fluttering with happiness. “Thank you…so much Nep…” With a shush she whispered, “No purroblem,” and began to stroke his hair, purring comfortingly.

Nepeta pulled back, and he sighed a little. When single purple tear ran down his cheek, she wiped it away with her thumb, and asked why he was crying, her face ridden with concern.

“You…” Eridan unfastened his cape and draped it around her slight shoulders, managing a smile. “You’re the first person Nep…wwho hasn’t treated me like dirt…” He paused, drawing his hands away from her form and fiddling with his scarf. “I mean…I know I wwas a fuckin’ tool…but I’m tryin’ to change Nep,” he sighed, looking up at her earnestly. She nodded, messy hair bobbing in her face. “I know, I can see you’re putting an effurt into being a better purrson. I hope the ofurs will see too, beclaws efurrybody deserves a second chance!” she grinned.

He took off his scarf, hesitantly holding it before taking her hand and placing it in her palm. “…I wwant you to havve this. It belonged to my ancestor. It’s…pretty important to me.”

She let out a little gasp. “But…Ampurra…I…I can’t take this!”

Eridan just smiled. “Please Nep. I wwant you to havve it. You’re…kinda my only friend.” He adjusted his glasses, grinning hopefully. Nepeta sighed a little, smiling. “I…okay. Thank you, Ampurra,” she purred, rubbing the silky scarf against her cheek. He grinned, gently taking it to wrap it around her neck, carefully adjusting it just so, his once-forced smile now warm and completely genuine. “You’re wwelcome.”

Nepeta took off her hat, feeling a little embarrassed about her messy hair. “I know it’s kinda silly, but here…” She handed him the royal-blue hat with a smile. “It’s my lucky hat. Purrhaps it will bring you some good furtune.”

He bit his lip, and pulled her into a hug. He held her close, stifling tears as she wrapped her arms around him and held him back tightly. “Are you okay Ampurra?” He nodded against her neck. “It’s just…you’re so nice Nep…nobody’s ever been this nice to me, evver…Eq is lucky to havve you as a moirail…” He let out a sigh. “If I had you…maybe I might not havve…”

“Have…done the things you did?”

He nodded again, holding her tighter. “Not like I’m askin’ you to leavve Eq for me or anyfin! Nep I’m different noww I swwear I’m not hittin’ on you…I…I’m sorry…” He pulled away gently, looking off into the large room, not wanting to meet her eyes. “I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable or nofin.”

Nepeta frowned and shook her head. “You didn’t do anything, Ampurra.”

He shrugged, still looking away. “I did though, Nep…I can’t exist like this. I feel so guilty…” She placed a tiny hand on  his shoulder. “Hey, at least you feel bad about what you did! Purrhaps the people you hurt can furgive you someday…there’s always hope.”

Eridan looked back at her, his eyes filling with tears. “I destroyed hope, Nep…but…maybe I can start usin’ it for good though…” She nodded and smiled reassuringly. “I believe you can.”

He took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before leaning in to kiss her forehead. She blushed deeply, and he whispered, “I’m sorry if that wwas too far…” She shook her head, nervously tucking a stray hair behind her ear. “It’s okay, really.” She grinned and gave him a kiss on the cheek in return, dangerously close to his lips. causing his fins to flutter as he blushed.

Nepeta giggled at the fin-flapping, and noted that she thought they were pretty cool. Eridan tugged at the collar of his shirt nervously. “They’re sensitivve, but…you wwanna feel ‘em?” She nodded eagerly, black locks bouncing. “Oooh, yes please!” He chuckled and turned his head for her, bracing himself for the sensations he knew would ensue. She reached a hand out, gently touching his fins, her small fingers beginning to carefully stroke the long, velvety apertures attached to his ears. He shivered at her touch, gripping the furs below him for support.

“Ohhh…they’re so soft…”

He nodded, trying to maintain his composure, but lost it all when she leaned forward and began to rub her cheek against his fin, purring lightly. He blushed a bright purple, wrapping an arm around the small catlike girl and holding her gently. He pressed closer to her, into her neck, and nipped at her, kissing warmly under her jaw. She jumped a little, surprised at first, but then pressed closer, purring louder and nuzzled his fin and cheek gently with her nose and lips, letting her hand softly caress his neck. Little tremors ran through his body as she rubbed him, and he just couldn’t take it anymore…he pulled back, looking into her eyes for a moment before kissing her lips.

“Mmm…” She tenderly kissed back, stroking his fins and neck as she did so. His hands gently rubbed up and down her sides, caressing her well-defined hips. Their lips pressed together, Eridan gently laid her down on the furs, his lips still locked with hers, and pressed down on top. He pulled away for a moment to whisper an inquiry. “I…Nep…is this…okay?”

Nepeta looked up at him, eyes wide, and nodded with a smile. He looked away. “Nep, I…is there any chance…you might, um…you might have…” He scratched the back of his head, his free hand pressed down against the fur pile. He seemed unable to finish his sentence.

“If you’re trying to ask if I have flushed feelings fur you,” she prompted with a little smile, “the anspurr is yes.”

He looked down at her, eyes wide, so surprised his glasses nearly fell off. “Ww-Wwhat?! Reely?!”

She nodded. “But I thought…wwhat about Kar?”

“…What about Fefurry?”

At the mention of the name, Eridan immediately understood – it was the same situation. Just like he would always love Fef, there would always be a special place in Nepeta’s heart for Karkat…but that didn’t mean they couldn’t help each other move on from their very first loves, their very unrequited loves, and…perhaps even love each other.


End file.
